Creation stories as a means by which different cultures
We will be discussing creation stories as a means by which different cultures describe who they are. This includes what it means to be “human”, and how we relate to God (or the gods), to each other, and to nature. In your reading, you have two conflicting examples of creation s: the epic of Gilgamesh, and the creation stories in the Bible. From your readings, please comment on how these stories differ with respect to:
a Understanding the created universe, God’s (or the god’s) purpose for it.
See Sedlacek pp. 31 – 36 and 49-57, as well as The Genesis Paradigm. 500 words, include references
These two stories have different implications when it comes to understanding our place in nature. In The Epic, man was merely a tool designed by Elil while in Genesis, man has been given dominion over nature because they have been created with similar attributes as God himself (dominion implies control rather than equality among living beings). This divide further translates into different understandings about our relationship with each other: human relations are presented as power struggles within The Epic whereas Genesis paints a picture where mutual respect and harmony should be fostered amongst all mankind due its shared likeness with its creator(Genesis Paradigm 49-57).
In conclusion, these two accounts offer distinct depictions how we relate both to our environment/nature and each other based on their explanations for existence - whether its due to chance events or deliberate acts from divine entities – which will ultimately determine how we interact with one another now and into future generations .
References:
Sedlacka V.(2020) "An Introduction To Ancient Near Eastern Thought". Princeton University Press: Princeton & Oxford
Poythress V.(1989)."The Genesis Paradigm". Crossway Books: Wheaton